|
|
|
|
|
|
Turns All Year Trip Reports
(1) Viewing these pages constitutes your acceptance of the Terms of Use.
(2) Disclaimer: the accuracy of information here is unknown, use at your own risk.
(3) Trip Report monthly boards: only actual trip report starts a new thread.
(4) Keep it civil and constructive - that is the norm here. |
|
|
|
|
Author
|
Topic: Advice (Read 1429 times)
|
mik68
5Member
Offline
Posts: 16
|
Advice
« on: 12/19/11, 12:53 PM » |
|
Hi TAY,
I’m glad, that I found this board, since I need to have some advice on skiing at Mount Rainier. :-)
My name is Michael, I live near Munich (Bavaria; Germany) and one my favorite hobbies is ski touring. We have the Alps of German, Switzerland and Austria more or less near to Munich and in winter season (from Nov. to May) I do ski touring a lot. Sadly (and unusually) we had no snow closer mountains this fall. I.e. I have some experience in ski touring.
The reason I found your web site is, that I’m planning a holiday in Washington State next summer and want to in include a summit descent on touring ski from Mt Rainier, i.e. the same thing one of your members you did last June: http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=21086.0
Since I don’t know the terrain and the specific snow conditions in the NW-US and we (a friend and I) are currently only two persons I need a bit help on that project. Maybe you could answer a few of my questions, since I think among you there are experts for skiing the Cascade Mountains:
- I asked the usual suspects (Rangers, RMI, etc.) about guiding services, but the all said, that guiding Mount Rainier summit is only allowed on foot, not using touring ski. Nobody could answer my questions why this is so. Do you know anything about that?
- When is normally the best time for skiing Mt Rainier summit (well covered crevasses with out causing a too big danger of avalanches and nice weather/view)? June or July? I know this depends at least partly on the time of winter that happened to be before, but what is you general recommendation? The problem may be also to find a good compromise to “build” a nice four weeks holiday around this tour. (I have many ideas about what to do in Washington State and don’t want to reduce it on Mount Rainier :-).
- Since we are only two of us I possibly want to join other people (e.g. group, guide, ...). Do you have any hint where to find such people? (In Germany we have the Alpenverein (http://www.dav-otterfing.de/ or http://www.alpenverein.de/) to organize this kind of things, but the AAC doesn’t seem to work this way.) But maybe this posting is already the solution...
Thanks, Michael (mik68).
PS: If you are interested in a tour near Munich look at this pictures: Karwendel Reibn (Austria): http://fotoalbum.web.de/alben/greulich/KarwendelReibn2011
PPS: I got to know Mount Rainier when I saw him from the plane heading for LA a few years ago. Since then I have in mind to climb it one day using skins…
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
James Wells
Member
Offline
Posts: 459
|
You have found the right place to get partners for summer skiing in WA. If you want partners for a Rainier summit, and you have the luxury of up to 4 weeks here (great idea!), I recommend that you post a Partners Wanted for some casual trips soon after you arrive. It should be easy to test-drive some potential partners for a summit try a week or two later.
By all means don't limit your plans to Rainier. Mount Baker is an awesome non-technical summit (just regular glacier gear) that gives a 7,000' ski descent if you catch it at just the right time (which is usually early July). And you know, the July views of the Sisters can be awesome if you are lucky with conditions: http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=21562.0
|
|
|
|
« Last Edit: 12/19/11, 01:36 PM by James Wells »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pete A
Member
Offline
Posts: 714
WWW
|
regarding when to go: provided we get an average amount of snow this year, mid-June to mid-July is probably a good window of time to be out here for a Rainier ski. The road to access the trailhead for the Emmons route is usually not open before late May and while people certainly do catch good weather and snow conditions in early summer for skiing Rainier, waiting for the snowpack to consolidate and for the weather to get hot enough to have freezing levels near the top of the mountain is going to make for more straightforward/enjoyable ski.
as for finding partners...if there's a forecast of clear sky and a 14,000ft freezing level, I'd be surprised if you couldn't find any takers in the 'partners wanted' section of the forum.\
good luck and have fun!
|
|
|
|
« Last Edit: 12/19/11, 02:58 PM by Pete A »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
mik68
5Member
Offline
Posts: 16
|
Thank you very much for your help!!
I have now the rough period of time. I'm going to watch the winter (snow) at Rainier using webcams and weather forecasts and then decide when exactly fly to Seattle next year.
I think I will try 4 to 6 weeks before the tour and try to find some partners using the "Planned Trips: partners wanted" section of TAY.
But now I have one more question: I'm not sure if I should bring my touring ski or rent them. I will bring in any case my skiing boots (since the fit my feet) and the rest of the gear. But ski may be expensive and long kind og luggage. Is it possible to rent a pair of touring ski in Seattle (in June) and how much is it? Maybe you could give me some addresses (links). My boots are prepared for normal ski binding (e.g. Fritschi) and for Dynafit bindings.
Michael
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Charlie Hagedorn
Member
Offline
Posts: 1135
WWW
|
Marmot Mountain (marmotmountain.com) definitely rents touring gear all year. I think Second Ascent (secondascent.com) and others may do so as well. I'd be surprised if it's more than $50 each way to bring skis on the plane. Rental will probably run more than $100/week.
Marmot apparently has their prices listed online:
http://www.marmotmountain.com/rentals-rates-ski.htm
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
go_slow.
5Member
Offline
Posts: 6
|
If you wanted to work with a guide I would definitely second the vote on Pro Guiding (www.proguiding.com; (425) 888-6397). Martin Volken, the owner and lead guide, is a knowledgeable and experienced WA state ski mountaineer, is a UIAGM certified Swiss Mountain Guide, and is an all around good guy who lives in the Cascades. His outfit could provide gear (whatever you don't want to travel with: skis, bindings, etc), logistics, advice, etc.
As I write this I realize it kinda sounds like an advertisement for Pro Guiding...it is not (i.e., I don't have any vested interest in Pro Guiding). It is just based on my experience of interacting with Pro Guiding folks around in the cascades and having worked a brief stint as a tech in Martin's shop a lifetime ago (he was a great boss!).
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
ron j
Moderator
Offline
Posts: 2459
|
I suspect they ProSki (Proguiding) also rents AT gear.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"When I stop having fun I'm turnin' around"
“Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future.” - Niels Bohr
"If a given person makes it a priority not to die in an avalanche, he or she stands a very good chance of living a long, happy life in the mountains." - Jill Fredston
|
|
|
Rusty Knees
Member
Offline
Posts: 702
|
I suspect they ProSki (Proguiding) also rents AT gear.
I also suspect they "sprechen zie Deutsch", at least Martin would.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
The best part of summer skiing is napping on a warm rock.
|
|
|
Andrew Carey
Member
Offline
Posts: 1027
|
Whittaker Mountaineering in Ashford, just outside the Nisqually entrance to Mt. Rainier rents a full range of mountaineering equipment and clothing including AT skis:
Whittaker Mountaineering
They are genetically, socially, and economically linked to Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) one of the major guiding services on Mt. R.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
... want your own private skintrack? :-) better move to the yukon dude ....(B'ham Allen, 2011).
...
Andy Carey, Nisqually Park, 3500 feet below Paradise
|
|
|
go_slow.
5Member
Offline
Posts: 6
|
Yes, Pro Ski (Pro Guiding) has rental equipment. And yes, Martin, being Swiss, is multilingual (swiss german, french, italian, english).
Michael, if you go the guided route I'm sure you'll have good luck with most of the local guiding services that have ski permits for Rainier. We're fortunate in the pacific northwest to have a lot of great options in that department! I'm sure if you go the self-guided route you'll also have a great experience/adventure as well, especially if you hook-up with some locals through TAY.
|
|
|
|
« Last Edit: 12/23/11, 03:01 PM by go_slow. »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
mik68
5Member
Offline
Posts: 16
|
I'm interested in a Rainier summit ascent & descent using touring ski! Are you sure pro guides have a license to do that? I got the information from a pro guide agency hat the national park rules prevent that for pro guides. I never got an explanation for it -- does anybody have solid infos? Currently I don't remember the name of the guide agency.
Michael
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
pred
5Member
Offline
Posts: 14
|
I don't see any reason why you would need a guiding service to get you up any of the standard routes on Rainier, Baker etc. assuming that you are reasonably experienced Ski Mountaineer (it seems that way from your pictures) That time of the year will see a lot of people going up and down and it will not be exactly a pristine wilderness experience .Then again,you ski in Alps so that should be just like home  . This site and cascadeclimbers.com would be a great source of information and potential partners and I encourage you to check out other peaks in the area,including Canada (British Columbia) In case of traveling around and going to more than one place it might be the most convenient to have your own(and trusted) gear with. I wouldn't be surprised that way would be the cheapest as well. That way you can spend extra money on beer(some of the best beer in the world is brewed in Pacific NW) You will need a car. There are no huts,(well, there are some, but not everywhere) so you'll need a tent (3 season) sleeping bag/pad, stove etc. This season started pretty odd(snow wise), but June/July is traditionally good time to ski/climb volcanoes.
I fully understand that you might have a ton of questions preparing for a big trip like that (I went climbing and visiting family in Croatia and and it took quite some time to decide what gear to take,even though I grew up there ) . I don't mind answering some, as long as you take them with a grain of salt (they are just opinions after all) Pred
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
mik68
5Member
Offline
Posts: 16
|
@pred: Yes, you are right: From what I read at skimountaineer.com I need from the technical point of view not urgently a pro guide. I was more the idea, that I think a group of 3 - 4 persons would be on a glacier with many crevasses a good idea (we are at the moment two) and the guide brings at least is own person for the rope. Meanwhile I get the impression, what I will find a few partners at TAJ or cascadeclimbers.com (provided weather and snow are in a reasonable reasonable shape).
Michael.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Jsper
5Member
Offline
Posts: 17
|
Howdy! I have an apartment near sea-tac airport.I could possibly pick u guys up and r more than welcome to stay . If weather and all looks good I may want to climb and ski with u! Unless you guys are rich, I'd pass on guide. So much fun stuff around , I could at least help with itinerary options. Let me know if you want!cheers!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Jeff_Ward
5Member
Offline
Posts: 96
|
From my understanding the park service has essentially "banned" any guided ski mountaineering on Mt. Rainier. I believe the official ruling is no guided skiers/climbers are allowed to be unroped on a glacier. That means all skiing (including downhill skiing) has to be roped up.
This is an attempt to make things safer on Rainier but (in my opinion) accomplishes just the opposite. Sure there are times where roped skiing is safer, but often times it decreases safety.
Unfortunately these regulations are probably due to a regulator not fully understanding what they are tasked to regulate. (welcome to the United Sates mik68). I know their intent was admirable (decreasing accidents), but their method is a little questionable.
Hopefully you can find a good partner in the area.
Jeff
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Thank you to our sponsors!
|
Contact turns-all-year.com
Turns All Year Trip Reports ©2001-2010 Turns All Year LLC. All Rights Reserved
The opinions expressed in posts are those of the poster and do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of Trip Reports administrators or Turns All Year LLC
|
Turns All Year Trip Reports | Powered by SMF 1.0.6.
© 2001-2005, Lewis Media. All Rights Reserved.
|
Page created in 0.303 seconds with 22 queries.
|
